USPTO Patents Application 10694074

ATTORNEY'S DOCKET
073671.0183

21

PATENT APPLICATION

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS;

1. A system, comprising:

a filter operable to receive an input signal comprising
a first number of channels and further operable to
5 communicate an intermediate output signal comprising a
second number of channels less than the first number of
channels, wherein at least a portion of the filter is formed
on an integrated circuit; and

a tuner coupled to the filter and operable to receive
10 the intermediate output signal and further operable to
communicate an output signal comprising a third number of
channels less than the second number of channels, wherein at
least a portion of the tuner is formed on the integrated
circuit .

15

2. The system of Claim 1, wherein:

the first number of channels is greater than one-
hundred ;

the second number of channels is less than forty; and
20 the third number of channels is less than three.

3. The system of Claim 1, wherein:

the first number of channels comprises a plurality of
bands of channels; and
25 the filter comprises a plurality of stages and is

switchable among the plurality of stages to communicate the
intermediate output signal comprising a selected one of the
plurality of bands of channels.

ATTORNEY'S DOCKET
073671 .0183

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PATENT APPLICATION

4. The system of Claim 1 wherein:

the first number of channels comprises a plurality of
bands of channels; and

the filter comprises a plurality of stages, wherein at
least one stage is switchable among a plurality of
capacitors to communicate the intermediate output signal
comprising a selected one of the plurality of bands of
channels .

5. The system of Claim 1, wherein the filter
comprises at least one stage comprising:

an inductor;

a first capacitor having a first lead and a second
lead, wherein the first lead of the first capacitor is
coupled to a lead of the inductor; and

a plurality of capacitors, each of the capacitors
having a first lead coupled to the first lead of the first
capacitor and a second lead switchably coupled to the second
lead of the first capacitor.

6. The system of Claim 5, further comprising a
controller coupled to the filter and operable to enable a
selected one of the plurality of stages of the filter and
further operable to enable selected ones of the capacitors
associated with the selected stage.

7. The system of Claim 1, wherein the input signal
comprises a radio frequency signal ranging from 4 8 MHz to
852 MHz.

ATTORNEY'S DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION

073671.0183

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8. The system of Claim 1, wherein the filter
comprises an input stage of the tuner.

9, The system of Claim 1, wherein the filter
5 dissipates a plurality of undesired channels associated with

the input signal in elements of the integrated circuit such
that the undesired signals are not reflected back to a
transmitter of the input signal.

0 10. The system of Claim 1, wherein the filter

comprises a first filter and further comprising a second
filter operable to communicate the input signal to the first
filter, the second filter comprising a low-pass filter
having an input cutoff frequency higher than 806 MHz.

.5

11. The system of Claim 1, wherein:

the input signal comprises a differential signal; and
the intermediate output signal comprises a differential
signal .

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ATTORNEY'S DOCKET
073671.0183

24

PATENT APPLICATION

12. A filter for receiving an input signal comprising
a first number of channels and for communicating an
intermediate output signal comprising a second number of
channels less than the first number of channels, the filter

5 comprising a plurality of stages, at least one stage
comprising :

an inductor;

a first capacitor having a first lead and a second
lead, wherein the first lead of the first capacitor is
10 coupled to a lead of the inductor; and

a plurality of capacitors, each of the capacitors
having a first lead coupled to the first lead of the first
capacitor and a second lead switchably coupled to the second
lead of the first capacitor.

15

13. The filter of Claim 12, wherein the at least one
stage is formed on an integrated circuit.

14. The filter of Claim 12, wherein:

2 0 the first number of channels comprises a plurality of

bands of channels; and

the filter is switchable among the plurality of stages
to communicate the intermediate output signal comprising a
selected one of the plurality of bands of channels.

25

ATTORNEY'S DOCKET
073671.0183

25

PATENT APPLICATION

15. The filter of Claim 12, wherein:

the first number of channels comprises a plurality of
bands of channels; and

the at least one stage is switchable among the
plurality of capacitors to communicate the intermediate
output signal comprising a selected one of the plurality of
bands of channels.

16. The filter of Claim 12, wherein the input signal
comprises a radio frequency signal ranging from 48 MHz to
852 MHz.

17. The filter of Claim 12, wherein:

the input signal comprises a differential signal; and

the intermediate output signal comprises a differential
signal .

ATTORNEY'S DOCKET
073671.0183

26

PATENT APPLICATION

18. A method for filtering an input signal,
comprising :

receiving an input signal comprising a plurality of

bands of channels;

switching among a plurality of stages of a filter to

communicate an intermediate output signal comprising a

selected one of the plurality of bands of channels, wherein

the filter is formed on an integrated circuits-
receiving the intermediate output signal; and
communicating an output signal comprising a subset of

the channels from the selected band of channels.

19. The method of Claim 18, wherein switching further
comprises switching among a plurality of capacitors
associated with a particular one of the plurality of stages.

20. The method of Claim 18, wherein receiving the
intermediate output signal and communicating the output
signal are performed at least in part by a tuner and at
least a portion of the tuner is formed on the integrated
circuit .

21. The method of Claim 20, wherein the filter
comprises an input stage of the tuner.

ATTORNEY'S DOCKET
073671 , 0183

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PATENT APPLICATION

22. The method of Claim 18, wherein:

the input signal comprises a first number of channels;

the intermediate output signal comprises a second
number of channels less than the first number of channels;
and

the output signal comprises a third number of channels
less than the second number of channels .

23- The method of Claim 22, wherein:

the first number of channels is greater than one-
hundred;

the second number of channels is less than forty; and
the third number of channels is less than three.

24. The method of Claim 18, wherein the input signal
comprises a radio frequency signal ranging from 48 MHz to
852 MHz.

25. The method of Claim 18, wherein:

the input signal comprises a differential signal; and
the intermediate output signal comprises a differential
signal .

ATTORNEY'S DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION

073671-0183

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26. A system, comprising

first means for receiving an input signal comprising a
first number of channels and for communicating an
intermediate output signal comprising a second number of
5 channels less than the first number of channels, wherein at
least a portion of the first means is formed on an
integrated circuit; and

second means for receiving the intermediate output
signal and for communicating an output signal comprising a
10 third number of channels less than the second number of
channels, wherein at least a portion of the second means is
formed on the integrated circuit .

27. The system of Claim 26, wherein the input signal
15 comprises a radio frequency signal ranging from 4 8 MHz to

852 MHz.

20